NEWPORT –– The Newport City Council voted to dismiss interim city manager Karen Geraghty, who has been on the job for only four months.
The vote, which was not featured on the original meeting agenda, was taken during a closed executive session, with the council voting 3-2 in favor of Geraghty’s termination. The council did not offer any public explanation for their decision.
Geraghty’s dismissal comes amid ongoing disputes between the council and the interim city manager over the respective roles of the city’s elected officials.
Tensions have been high in Newport’s city council meetings with disagreement over the roles of the mayor, city manager, and councilors. Earlier this year, a similar dispute led to the unexpected resignation of the former mayor, Beth Barnes.
Geraghty, in an emotional speech at the conclusion of Monday’s meeting, called for unity and an end to hostility within the community. She had been appointed interim city manager following the retirement of Laura Dolgin in June, and had been in contract negotiations for the permanent position.
The next council meeting is scheduled for November 6, and the process for appointing a new interim city manager remains unclear.
